/1990_0860_A

Aboriginal rights A demonstration by Australian aborigines outside the Natural History Museum last Wednesday passed peacefully. They were demonstrating for the return of Australian artefacts now being held in the museum. The demonstrators held a placard saying ' Hunted and Murdered for Scientific Experiment'.

A spokeswoman from the museum said that the artefacts were bones and were undergoing useful scientific analysis. She added that under present law it would be illegal to return objects belonging to the British Museum.

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ir

Senior Assistant Finance Officer miscalculates rent rises. 'Sometimes you wonder whether financial people's salaries should be better spent on college accommodation'—Hamlet Warden, Matthew Bridgwater.

Nice one Malcolm!

A recommended rent rise of 20% in Hamlet Gardens has been strongly contested by M r Matthew Bridgwater, warden of Hamlet Gardens. The increase was suggested by M r Malcolm Aldridge, Senior Assistant Finance Officer at IC, who claimed that it was 'to balance the books' as last year's rent was set before the recent rise in inflation. It was pointed out that M r Aldridge failed to renegotiate rents in December as he was continually asked to.

According to M r Aldridge the rise was suggested at 16%, and was based on an average of the housing component of the retail price index (i.e. inflation values) and housing costs in the country. The college now have to recoup the losses of last year's failure to increase rents as much as inflation as well as increasing next year's rent according to inflation forecasts. M r Aldridge stressed that the rise had yet to be ratified by himself or M r Tom Stevens, Business Manager of Residences, M r John Smith, formerly College Secretary, or the Rector.

M r Bridgwater said that he had been called to see M r Aldridge last Friday when he had been informed of the proposed rent

increases for 1991, which he said were at 20%. M r Bridgwater said that he was 'rather shocked at how big they were' and had taken the figures to Neil McCluskey, IC Union President, who was 'equally dismayed'.

M r Bridgwater said that on working though M r A l d r i d g e ' s figures he discovered some forecasting errors that amounted to several thousand pounds.

These invalidated the estimate of a 20% rise. M r Bridgwater said that the college was charging, on average, £52 per bed per week, while the landlords who rent out the property to the college were charging the college an average of £39 per bed per week. This amounted to the students in Hamlet Gardens paying the college £80,000 per academic year.

The warden estimates that of this money, half will go towards covering the losses of the summer letting scheme, a quarter will subsidise unoccupied rooms during the year and a quarter will go towards the 'dilapidations account' which is a contingency against the landlords charging the college for damage done to the building during its head tenancy. In effect this means each student would be

paying £2.50 per week into this.account.

This follows the Lexham Gardens affair when the college had to pay £8000 to the landlords on returning the property to them. Hamlet Gardens will be returned in the next few years. M r Bridgwater expressed surprise that the college 'suddenly thought to charge students' and said that he stongly doubted whether the landlords would charge the college as no damage had been done.

In the Student Residence Committee (SRC) last Wednesday both M r Bridgwater and M r McCluskey challenged M r Aldridge, who was 'shot to bits' over his figures.

The warden admits that Hamlet Gardens must cut costs, by reducing the number of subwardens by one and running a more efficient summer letting scheme. He said that the increase should not to be above 10%. He added that in his view the rents were 'not unreasonable, but uncompetitive with no housing benefit and the poll tax coming i n . ' He ended by saying that 'sometimes you wonder whether financial people's salaries should be better spent on college accommodation'.

W

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Film

Leningrad Cowboys go America A frozen body lies on barren tundra. The body has a quiff that stands out of foot from his head and pointed boots at least two foot long. In his hand he still clutches a bass guitar. He is a member of The Leningrad Cowboys. When their manager is informed that the band should 'go America' where they will 'swallow any kind of shit', the band set out at once, clutching only their instruments and a very little money. Once there they buy a huge old Cadillac and set off for Mexico (the only gig they can get), with two members in the boot and the bass player strapped on the roof.

Leningrad Cowboys Go America is the new film from Finnish filmmaker Aki Kaurismaki, starring reallife Finnish band The Leningrad Cowboys. Initially the dialouge is in Finnish, but as the Cowboys fly to America they learn English allowing us to dispense with the subtitles. Somewhat contrived perhaps, but amusingly integrated into the film.

The plot itself is rather minimal. After the band arrive in America, the film becomes a road movie as they travel down America playing the occasional gig at various clubs and bars along the way. The action is interspersed with captions effectivly dividing the films into separate sections with titles like Beer Question and All You Need Is Love.

The humour is very deadpan and extremely offbeat, reminiscent of the films of Jim Jarmusch (who actually appears in a cameo role as a car salesman).

Visual humour is used nicely throughout the film, from the appearance of the cowboys themselves to scenes of them 'sunbathing' to make themselves more acceptable to the Americarl Public. Running gags also feature, especially concerning tractors.

Music, not surprisingly, features heavily throughout the film starting off with what is presumably fairly traditional finnish music and then moving through a whole variety of styles, including heavy(ish) metal and country and western (The Ballad of Leningrad

Cowboys). I can't really comment on the musical quality of the film, but I don't see a Blues Brothers type soundtrack emerging somehow.

This is certainly an unusual film, but probably one that will only appeal to people with a certain (weird) sense of humour. Those who have it will find the film very funny. Probably destined to become a cult film.

Leningrad Cowboys go America is showing at The Renoir, Brunswick Sqr., nearest tube Russell Sqr. As ever with The Renoir if you go to the first (2.35) showing and show your Union card you will get in for ÂŁ 1 . 7 0 instead of ÂŁ 4 . 0 0 .

Adam T.

Theatre

The Price It is impossible to know what is important. But if you do not decide what is important, or if your choice is wrong, time will not permit you another chance to choose-you will have paid The Price-you will have paid or perhaps you will have been robbed.

On the verge of retirement from a stultifying job with the city police, Victor is forced to confront his past in an uneasy auction, bidding to place a vlaue on his stunted life. An easy-going procrastinator Victor is forced to return to the apartment where he lived in the shadow of a father impoverished and psychologically wrecked by the 1929 Stock Market crash. The apartment block is being torn down. Victor has invited a furniture dealer to quote him a price for the contents, hoping to dispose of the lot before taking a disatisfied wife to the movies for a rare treat.

The dealer Solomon has a wit and wisdom that entertains but his wiles begin to grate as he waffles his way to a price that is more of a steal. The deal

proves troublesome to close and the tension grows.

As finally the price seems set the past resurfaces again as Victor's brother Walter arrives.

Walter is not a man who undervalues himself.

Although he insists that he doesn't want to interfere with his brother's deal he soon asserts his own opinions on the worth of the goods. The differences in valuation soon uncover the the difference in values which underlie the brothers' estranging conflicts. The past is haemorrhaging out, its price is soon to be discovered.

Miller's intention in The Price is to offer us a selfsacrificing idealist in Victor to contrast with the cynical but vital self-interest of his successful brother Walter. The play is of such mature construction though that such simple judgements of character should never be prompted by a faithful and skillful realisation. Under David Thacker's direction just such a skillful production is delivered.

Driving Miss Daisy 72 year-old Daisy crashes her new 1948 Packhard into her neighbour's garden. Her son Boolie (Dan Akroydi, naturally concerned, imposes Hoke, a black chauffeur on her whom she bitterly resents. But as time wears on, unsurprisingly Daisy falls into a needdriven acceptance of Hoke and slowly an unusual friendship develops between them. If you're waiting for something momentous to happen then you may just as well be waiting for Godot; Daisy crashing her car (and emerging unscathed) is about as action packed as it gets. But who needs Sylvester Stalone to make a good movie?

Driving Miss Daisy is a gentle and delightfully funny amble through 25 years of social change in the

David Calder captures the nobility of the 'weaker' man in a great performance as Victor that gives him both sympathy and strength. Playing to this strong lead Bob Peck's Walter manages a degree of symetery sufficient to smooth the stereotypical edge of the allAmerican brother. Alan MacNaughton finds a nice key for Solomon, letting the dry Jewish humour tickle away in the first act and Marjorie Yates inhabits her role as Victor's wife with professional measure.

Thanks to Joan Washington's coaching the Stateside accents seem to have stuck convincingly. (Just as well when playing to a house of more than half Americans.)

A measured production of a mature play destined for growing stature. Best suited to the humanly rash and the seriously sentimental.

MAC.

Film

voice of Martin Luther King but never run into any nigger-lynching prejudice as shown in such films as Mississippi Burning. But it's also a visual study of that era with clever period touches ranging from wide lapels (very forties) through a rich selection of vintage cars to a token jogger at the end of the film in 1873.

Southern United States. This encompasses the period of the emerging Black Civil Rights Movement; Daisy's and Hoke's relatianship developing in parallel with that of the southern white and Mack cultures. We hear the

Jessica Tandy gives a sterling performance as Miss Daisy, ably supported by Morgan Freeman as Hoke.

And it makes a change to see Dan Akroyd (of Ghostbusters notoriety) looking like Helmut Kohl.

A pleasing if emotionally stagnant film which didn't quite drive me to my wodge of kleenex. Driving Miss Daisy opens tonight at the Warner West End. Adrian Pagan.

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Theatre

A Clockwork Orange 2004 The novelist Anthony Burgess published his book A Clockwork Orange in 1962 and it caused quite a stir.

Critics claimed then, as they do now, that violence in art causes violence in society especially amongst the impressionable and less well e d u c a t e d conveniently forgetting that the two orgies of violence in the first part of this century were not started by books, but by well educated politicians.

bang plastic shields, dressed in nylon combat gear with visors and crash helmets, invade the stage and beat up a couple of revolutionaries preaching against the government's increasingly authoritarian attempts to control violence with violence.

The sheer style of the production is overwhelmingly twentieth century. The set looks like the inside of a

Stanley Kubrick made a film of the book, and the self-same critics slammed this on the same grounds.

As Kubrick was threatened with violence if he dared to show the film this shows an amusing degree of selffulfilling prophecy.

Well now we have the play of the old story of moral choice versus the amoral white-coated scientist who doesn't understand Beethoven.

The protagonist is 'little Alex', a fifteen year-old who leads his 'droogs' on expeditions of rape and extreme violence. The teenagers speak an almost totally incomprehensible dialect called 'nadsat' (from the Russian 'teen' as in teenager) set in a framework of archaic and unsyntactical English. They dress strangely and are quite the separate little tribe. The violence is arbitrary and purely for its own enjoyment.

Indeed Alex gets churlish when one of his droogs suggests they steal some money. The choreography of the violence is excellent, although it avoids danger as the violence is more suggestive than graphic.

The most important part of the plot is the mental violence inflicted on Alex by the authorities in their attempts to cure him. They succeed, so that the mere thought of violence makes Alex want to vomit. They also make Alex unable to hear Beethoven without screaming in agony as the treatment (a sort of Pavlovian association technique) used Beethoven's 9th Symphony as backing. This leads Alex to attempt suicide, with severe political repercussions for the government who was responsible for implementing the technique in the prisons.

The part of the play that had me transfixed by terror was an exceptionally noisy part in which riot police

curious modern variants on Beethoven themes. Most effectively a version of the Da-da-da-dum bit that everyone knows from the beginning of Beethoven's 5th Symphony accompanying little Alex's dramatic entry in a lift surrounded by swirling mist and flashing lights.

Phil Daniels played little Alex as malevolence with a smirk, self-conscious, witty and intelligent evil personified. Complete with mock sincerity. At no time does one ever feel sorry for A l e x - h e even complains he is 'being used' a number of times-even after his treatment in the prison. This probably reflects the human nature of the audience as much as the style of acting.

There are many themes and sub-themes. The main discussion is one that asks if it is correct to deny a human individual the right to choose violence. I think this is a bankrupt theme as I don't believe people have as much free choice as they convince themselves they do. This is a personal philosophy and as most people wouldn't agree with me it shouldn't conflict with their enjoyment of the play.

Prophetic themes are always sinister. It is set in the near future and as I pointed out, the ambience of the production futuristic. It is a truly cerebral play with many pertinent points-many of which I disagree w i t h - i t may be better to be just bowled over by the performance.

The effect is highly disturbing, especially when you see news that night of riot police in combat gear firing plastic bullets at rioting young thugs on football terraces. You might start to get a little worried when art like this ceases to be a discussion and becomes a news item.

gasometer painted bright red with sliding panels out of which props emerge and disappear.

Exept for the occasional pieces of Beethoven and Bach, the music is based on the low, regular throb overlaid with intertwining synthesized chords [U2, The Edge and Bono). This gives a very modern and doom-laden atmosphere. There are also some rather

Film

Stand-by tickets cost ÂŁ 5 (take your Union card) and are sold immediately before the performance on level 3 of the Barbican Centre. It would be better to phone the box office on 638 8891 first to see if any seats are left. The nearest tube is the Barbican (allow an extra half an hour as the building is difficult to find).

Adam Harrington.

Theatre

Monkey Shines

Quickies

Alan Mann (Jason Beque), a student, gets up each morning, leaving his beautiful leggy girlfriend in bed, puts several bricks in his rucksack and goes for a run, as one does. Unfortunately one morning he's knocked over by a lorry and finds himself in a wheelchair unable to move any part of his body below his neck and this is just the beginning of his problems. Next his girlfriend runs off with the surgeon who operates on him and then his mollycoddling mother moves in to look after him together with a slovenly irritating nurse and her ferocious budgie. No wonder he tries to end it all.

'Kill Netta Longden, kill Netta Longden' sounds in a bedsit. Through an opening in the dark a man makes his way to her sleeping form - h e steals a knife from his pocket and...Although the subject of Hangover Square is depressing, the play itself is not. Well written and produced it is well worth a visit. See it at the Lyric Theatre, King Street, W6. Box Office 741 2311

However things seem to improve when Allan's mad scientist friend, Geoffrey (John Pankow) donates one of his laboratory monkeys, Ella, to be schooled by monkey trainer, Melanie, to care for Allan's every need. This is no ordinary laboratory monkey, however, this is one which Geof has been injecting with serum from human brain tissue to try and improve its intelligence, without much apparent success. Soon a close relationship forms between Allan and Ella so close in fact that Ella seems to be able to read his mind and control his emotions and of course all kinds of sinister things ensue.

Although billed as a horror movie, Monkey Shines is really more of a thriller, relying more on suspense Page 4

than on gorey bits. Certainly it is very unlike The Night of the Living Dead for which Director George Romero is best known. The film holds the attention throughout and the acting is generally good, although some of Beque's monkey indused mood changes are a little unconvincing. The best performance, without a doubt, is that of the monkey who totally convinces you that it is a highly intelligent but evil little beast rather than a cuddly and harmless animal. It's enough to put you off monkies for life.

Although the subject dealt with in the film is original and there is enough suspense to keep you interested the ultimate conclusion is fairly predictable.

Worthwhile seeing all the same.

Liz Rickwood.

Contemporary Noh is a collection of three plays which are either real Japanese Noh or English imitations. Ranging in subject from Buddhist philosophy to Samuel Beckett, they are largely inaccessible to European audiences. The Theatre Museum, Russell St., WC2. Box Office 836 2330 Based on a book by John Kennedy Toole, A Conspiracy Of Dunces deals with liberals, policemen, bowling alleys, muscadet, hot dogs, homosexuals, strippers, budgies, brass rings, sex and politics, an orphanage and a supply of pornographic photos! All played by one actor, it is perhaps overlong. The Gate Theatre Club. Box Office 229 0706 All close this week.

JLW, Adam T. and Cynic

Balaam & The Angel Astoria 15.2.90

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Nitzer Ebb -Showtime LP Showtime is the third album from Nitzer Ebb, following the groundbreaking That Total Age LP and the critically acclaimed Belief.

Showtime, as the title suggests and the current single Lightning Man indicated, is partial reworkings of classic themes. For the first time the Ebb use a strong melodic element over their own characteristic electronic juggernaut. Much of the album appears to be based around traditional music-hall patterns.

Nobody Knows is the duo's own idiosyncratic effort at soft-shoe shuffle, My Heart is a violent ballad and Lightning Man is a bluesy wail. Most of the other tracks can be forced into this pattern with the standout exception of Fun to be Had, the final track, which is pure Nitzer Ebb of old.

Showtime is as energetic as ever and possesses a momentum which builds up from the accelerating opening strains of Getting Closer to crash to a halt two sides later with Fun to be Had. In this it more resembles the early New Beat thunderings of That Total Age than its more sophisticated sibling Belief.

While Hold On and One Man's Burden would fit easily on the first LP, tracks such as Lightening Man are a logical and welcome progression of the foil's work.

First support rock group, Jezebel, had hair, leather studs, metal noise and spite, but no bollocks. Just learn how to tune your guitars girls.

Things got heavier with Horse (London!, Sweat, grease and distortion flew. 'We won't take no shit', they screeched, but they gave us enough. There'll be a lot of people with whiplash in the morning.

At last Balaam entered to a moody Intro of lights and mist. ' 0 ' ya wanna party? Yeah!', restoring sanity with pure, unashamed, traditional rock from the long haired lads. They never flagged, playing from all three albums and some covers in a set which ended at 11.20 and still wasn't enough.

Once again Nitzer Ebb steamroller the opposition and mine the seam they were the first to open.

Showtime, an album of blood and cabaret, is released on March 5.

Stone.

House of Love —Shine On 7"

I am still amazed at the six-second guitar change

by Ian McKean during the latest single, Little Bit of Love, and the two foot blond dreds of guitarist Jim Morris were equally agile. They also included frenzied Two Days of Madness and the favourite / Love the Things you do to Me and a lot of 'oo-yeahs'.

So what if they sound like The Cult (Electric) or Bon Jovi, but who cares? They don't, and it was great.

SJH.

The Mission —Kilburn National 20.2.90 This was a show for video, with Wayne Hussey (frontman) resplendent in red and shades (yuk). The introtape into Amelia was beautifully planned (double yuk) and the song links perfect, too perfect. Wayne survived as far as the first line of the third song, Butterfly on a Wheel before throwing down his guitar and shouting; 'this is fuckin' crap. What do you want?'.

This was a show for the fans. We got all the greats: Like a Hurricane, Tower of Strength, Wasteland and Mr Pleasant. They may have changed their image on vinyl, but live they're still mega. They play along with the audience, not to it.

The only danger came from the mounted camera playing nine-pins with moshing missionaries. Freakout or die immortalised on film as a drop-out.

They ended an hour later with the ultimate chant, Deliverance and left as suddenly as they had arrived.

Keep the refund, just give me Deliverance.

SJH.

Finally, after three years of developing from a mixed up five-piece from South London who were musically limited and naive, The House of Love have finally mastered the art of producing a subtle but catchy guitar pop song.

Shine On has already charted at 18 in the mainstream charts, but still The House of Love have kept their indie integrity and have not strayed from their original and consistent electric guitar based sound.

Shine On is a lyrically simplistic song carried over

by Guy Chadwick's enchanting vocals, which sit on a wavering sea of electric guitars.

The flip-side track Allergy is a self-indulgent, almost instrumental track; where the minimal vocals are almost drowned by repetitious guitar riffs and a basic cymbal beat, though they deserve to be.

Surprisingly unavoidably, uncomprimisingly, infectiously excellent.

DEL.

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO GOOD GIGGING Friday 23rd February The Meteors + The Rattlers Opera on the Green Tanita Tikaram Hammersmith Odeon Saturday 24th February The Stranglers Brixton Academy Monday 26th February Blow-Up Camden Dingwalls Tuesday 27th February The Cramps Brixton Academy Wednesday 28th February The Cramps Brixton Academy The Men They Couldn't Hang..Subterrannia Thursday 1st March The Creatures Town & Country Club Icicle Works Marquee Energy Orchard Mean Fiddler Friday 2nd March The Creatures Twon & Country Club Essential Gig of the Week Senseless Things + Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine + Nutmeg...ULU

SRI LANKAN SOCIETY There will be a meeting of the Society on February 28 at 12.30pm in room 311, Huxley Building. All those who are interested are welcome.

Harlington's history Over the past five or six years there has been a lot said about the ownership of Harlington. The argument started as a result of a proposed gravel extraction from the sports ground. This extraction is presently in operation and is worth in the region of ÂŁ 3 million, but the argument goes deeper than this. Very recently it has become apparent that the College will do almost anything to make money or put existing money to their desired purpose. Many London colleges have seen sections of their sports grounds sold off, St Mary's is the most recent but many have lost theirs altogether. Surely this puts the future of their sporting activities in doubt; IC sports clubs are expanding we do not want to see a reduction in the facilities. The College has shown no incentive for the improvement of the generally limited quality of sports facilities available to students at IC whilst the student have been fruitlessly battling for facilities for years.

Clearly realising that the ground did not belong to them, the Governing Body opted not to show the WMG sports field on the College accounts. In 1922 when discussing its disclosure on the accounts, Mr Hobert Wright, Governor, explained 'that the ground was vested in the College as trustees, the Committee agreed that it ought not to be included in the accounts of the College in any way.'

The development and running of the WMG was paid for through student union subscriptions, until 1922, when the College agreed to collect a considerably larger subscription to cover this and other new activities that had developed as a result. The collection of these fees by the College was merely an administrative convenience; throughout the life of the Memorial Ground, expenditure and liability for its

Considering the solicitor's predicament, the choice of the title 'The Students' was a fair one. The Union was fragmented and undergoing a transformation of its own as it took full responsibility for its own and the CCU funds in a vastly expanded organsiation. To expect it to take control of a rapidly expanding and developing group of athletics facilities was simply unreasonable. Hence the College set up what would now be known as an Athletics Union to run the facilities.

As the Athletic Union dissolved, the sports clubs were placed in the hands of IC Union and the grounds fell to the College's Athletic Committee.

The sports facilities precipitated the formation of IC Union as we know it and their purchase, development and administration was performed by students up until

So who does own Harlington and have rights to the new gravel fund? Up until now the whole argument has revolved around statements made at the time of purchase of Harlington in September 1936. There is no doubt that the College bought the ground and acted as the legal purchaser, but whose money were they spending and on what authority and advice did they act? The answer to this lies further back in history in 1919 when the ground was very young.

In 1919 the College had four student organisations; the three Constituent College Unions (CCUs) which ran in a similar but more active manner to today's CCUs and the Imperial College Union. The Union of the day was very different to our current one. It had a President who was one of the three CCU Presidents, each CCU taking rotating turns at the post, a treasurer who was a College Governor and an ex-student of the RCS, and a Secretary who was a Professor and also a Governor. Whether the Treasurer and Secretary were Governors as a result of their posts in the Union or vice versa is not clear. The Imperial College Union had one committee, the Management Committee, which took responsibility for all of the Unions' activities, ie the running of the bar and catering outlets along with laying on entertainment. The Imperial College Union was often called the Imperial College Club (ICC).

The ICC had been running for around eight years, of which four had been during the Great War, it was funded in very much the same way as the CCUs in that each student paid a yearly membership fee of ÂŁ 2 10s which was split between the respective CCU and ICC by 3/5 to 2/5.

There is little doubt that the money that bought Harlington was originally derived from the purchase and development of the War Memorial Ground in 1920. Funded by the War Memorial Executive Committee (WMEC) and student annual subscriptions, the ground cost ÂŁ 8 0 0 0 . It was this committee of Union officers that asked in Feb 1920 'in the event of a suitable ground being ultimately acquired whether the Governing Body would consent to the property being vested in their name as trustees?'. They did not give the ground to the College but had no one else to place their trust in as IC Union was simply not well enough established.

The relaid hockey pitches have not improved since this picture was taken last y running were accounted for under the title Union Accounts.

The turning point for the Ground came in 1937, when the sports facilities were transferred to a College account, held in trust to the students, a body with no legal identity separate from the College.

The College had seen a chance to generate The establishment of the Imperial College Students' considerable revenue by selling the ground. By placing Committee almost immediately after the purchase of the money in such a trust they could account for it the ground produced the nearest equivalent to the legally; the College's solicitor quite rightly noted that present day UGM, which ultimately grew into such it could not be placed under any College account, even a body whilst also developing a series of clubs and the Union account could not be used as there was no societies available to all IC students. This was the birth independent legal identity to separate it from College. of the respresentational, social and athletic side of IC His only option was to show it as a bare trust, Union today and it was precipitated by the purchase meaning a trust upon which they held no rights of ownership. of the Ground in Wembley.

Page 6

the College took control of them. Starting with an outright majority of students, College Athletic Committee, which watched over the funds for sports activities has seen its student membership fall by two.

Harlington and the boathouse are the Union's birthright held in trust for over seventy years. IC Union has now grown up and should be given back control of its property for it to run as in the 1920s with the students having the right of decision and the College claiming no rights to interfere. The first thing to be done is to rename Harlington the War Memorial Ground and erect plaques to the dead of the Great War.

by Sydney Harbour-Bridge

Fencing Although we haven't appeared in the pages of FELIX for quite some time, IC Fencing Club have been busy with the UAU team competition and we have now reached the semi-final stage.

Our opponents in the challenge round were Southampton, who travelled to IC on January 31.

Despite missing the services of Jorg Pollok, the sabre team started the match in promising style with an 8-1 victory over Southampton's sabreurs. The foilists then had an uphill struggle against a stony Southampton team-notable exceptions being a 5-0 victory each for Peter and Simon. Two narrow 5-4 victories in the foil meant that IC were 13-5 going into the epee, needing just one more fight to secure an overall win.

Unfortunately, the Epeeists were rather lacking in the spirit and style which made them so successful last year, and a 2-7 defeat in the epee meant that IC won the match overall by 15-12.

IP*

Team Sabre: Marucie Ricou, Nick Hills, Dave Matthews (Capt).

Foil: Gully Burns, Nick Hills, Simon Laight (Res. Peter Cripwell).

Epee: Simon Evans, Adam Sadler, Peter Cripwell.

Wednesday 14th saw IC Fencing Team spending a romantic Valentine's Day on the M1 as we travelled to Bradford for the quarter-finals.The strain of a four and half hour journey was all too evident; even the formidable sabre team could only manage a closely fought 6-3 victory. The foilists were also under pressure, with Bradford performing to their highest standard, and again IC narrowly won 5-4. After

winning the first two epee fights, IC were 13-7 and the result semed certain; however, severe equipment problems meant that Peter and Nick faced the virtually impossible task of fencing left-handed with righthanded orthopaedic grip weapons. Gully Burns was unlucky to be narrowly defeated in two fights, and the nightmare slowly unfolded as Bradford, gaining in confidence all the time crept back to draw level at 13-13. In the last fight, Bradford very sportingly lent

us a left-handed epee and a comfortable victory from Peter put us into the semi-finals by the narrowest of margins.

Team Sabre: Maurice Ricou, Jorg Pollock, Nick Hills.

Foil: Peter Cripwell, Nick Hills, Simon Laight.

Epee: Peter Cripwell, Gully Burns, Nick Hills.

Football

Dribblers j ^

IC 6th —1

Goldsmiths 2

Mary's 2 n d - 1

After a victory in their previous game the IC 6ths lined up for the kick-off determined to extend their superb unbeaten run of one match. The lads dominated the first half, and when one of Mary's defenders decided that they needed two goalkeepers (nicely punching the ball away), we expected to take the deserved lead from the following penalty. But, up stepped twinkle toes Sanga to limply paddle the ball towards the goal, ensuring a spectacular save from the keeper (although no motion was necessary on his part).

Not deterred by this, the 6ths kept up the pressure and, after a good run down the right, Nick managed to hit the far post with one of his 'better' crosses. The second half began tamely but after ten minutes the opposition broke through to score a scrappy goal. The 6ths responded well with some good play up front, although this was not reflected in the defence who, after mis-controlling the ball several times conceded a second goal.

IC struck back almost immediately as super sub Smith scored superbly after a good run from a midfielder. Phil, anxious to restart, decided to pretend that he was one of the opposition and take the kickoff himself, without success. This diffused the situation as the game ended without further incident, although a mass of opposition supporters invaded the pitch at full-time whilst ours were already in the ale house drowning their miseries.

u

0

IC Dribblers 2

Last week saw our valiant heroines battling in wet and windy Chingford where we held London Hospitals to a 3-0 defeat. It was so cold, miserable and unexciting, I didn't bother writing about it.

It was quite a relief this week when we saw the sun shining over Albany Park. Somehow we'd managed to arrive over an hour early for the match and whilst deciding how best to occupy our time, one bright-eyed Dribbler spotted a nearby hostelry. The debate over, we descened on the Sunday lunchtime drinkers at Ye Olde White Crosse Inne for a wee dram or two of the amber nectar (purely for medicinal reasons-the hair of the dog I think it's called!).

The first half of the game saw a rather shocked pack of Dribblers concede two goals after spending far more time than usual in the opposition's half. We managed to draw even in the second half thanks to two stunning goals (modesty forbids me from saying who scored) and were unlucky not to win with several other shots either being saved or going wide. The real heroine of the day though, must be Lucy who flung her right breast and throat in the way of a last ditch attempt by Goldies. Suffice to say, the game over, the Dribblers then got down to the serious business of the day and had a few drinks and sang a few songs-oh! and annoyed a few BR passengers as well!

The British University Sports Federation (BUSF) Judo Championships were held in Glasgow on February 10 and 11. IC Judo Club contributed three fighters to the London University squad. 1st Dan Peter Swettenham gained the silver medal in the Under 78kg individual competition, losing in a well fought match against an ex-London fighter. Relative newcomers to the Club Simon Lloyd and Ray Cook both fought admirably considering their lack of experience in first-class competition but were both unplaced.

Peter then fought as part of the London five man team on the Sunday. The team, defending the title from last year and the year before were knocked out in the semi-final by the eventual winners, Glasgow.

IC and London coach Paul Warren described Peter's performance as outstanding. Bronze place was thus awarded.

Peter, Simon and Ray then fought in the ten man competition, gaining another bronze.

Club news. A grading for this year's beginners was held at Imperial this weekend. All the competitors gave good performances considering their extreme lack of contest experience and all were promoted.

Special mentions to Ultan McArthy, promoted to green belt and Katrina Newman, who fought with spirit against far heavier opponents.

Page 7

Small steps and giant leaps

This Week • Optical fibres have transmitted signals over a Japanese new record distance.

The telecommunication company Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) sent digital data a distance of 2,223km without using electrical repeaters.

The attenuation of optic fibre means that amplifiers are required periodically along the length of the cable to boost the signal. Previously these have been electrical, that is, the light pulses are converted to an electrical signal, amplified then transformed back to light. Such repeaters are prone to failure and costly, particularly for lines in awkward environments, for instance, on the sea bed.

Different means of building repeaters are being investigated. One method uses the rare earth element, erbium, and keeps the signal in the optical domain throughout. The NTT record was set using 25 of these repeaters which each form a section of the line 160km long being separated by 80km.

• Orthopaedic surgeons may soon be able to install better fitting replacement knee and hip joints with the hope that they will function for many years longer than present renewals. A new computer system will enable the surgeon to view the joint from all angles allowing rehearsal of the operation and joints to be tailor-made. Today's replacement hips for example, rarely last for more than a decade due to joint loosening or the implant breaking as loads on the body alter; bone can gradually grow and adjust. The present fitting system involves choosing a standard size replacement joint after comparing the X-rays of the bones with different sized templates.

• Genetically engineered mice that have a human immune system are now being used to test new AIDS drugs. HIV, the virus responsible for the disease, does not effect many species and chimpanzees have had to be used for experiments which are rare and expensive. The virus only affects those parts of the mice which are of human origin but it is hoped to provide new insight into the disease, if only for ensuring that a new drug has no anti-viral effects before further tests are carried out.

• Mute swans in Britain have been dying more than ever in recent years after having been poisoned by lead. This is due to the swan swallowing shotgun lead pellets or lead weights discarded by anglers, which are now banned. The lead accumulates in the body and causes weight loss, muscular paralysis and a reduced resistance to disease leading to the inevitable death of the swan.

A recent report suggests that results from 'chalation therapy' are encouraging with 49% of poisoned swans being apparently successfully treated although only 22% survived for more than two years. The treatment involves injecting the swan two or three times a day with sodium calcium edetate for at least a week, this combines with the lead rendering it harmless. Side effects such as mineral deficiencies though are not well quantified yet, however.

• Plug 'Food Irradiation'. An Envirosoc lecture to be given by Dr Tim Lang from the London Food Commission, 12.45pm on Thursday March 1 in Mech Eng 542.

Page 8

Space Shuttle later this year. Courtesy ofESA Fig. 1. Artist's impression of the Ulyssesthe launch from Of all human exploits space exploration must surely rank in the forefront for firing our imagination and sense of adventure. Now as we enter the '90s a new era of solar system exploration is dawning where, compared with the lean times of the '80s in which missions were few, the future once again looks bright with a flotilla of sophisticated space probes set to embark upon exciting voyages to different reaches of the solar system. Indeed there is every prospect that, to paraphrase Neil Armstrong's famous words when setting foot on the moon, these 'small steps' will lead to 'giant leaps' in knowledge and human achievement.

In this article I describe the solar system space missions already approved for the '90s, highlighting the important role which Imperial College scientists are set to play. Imperial involvement centres on investigating the behaviour of plasmas and magnetic fields in solar system space, especially those processes which are relevant to the universe.

First, though, it is right to question the.reasons for conducting expensive space exploration when there are so many pressing human problems here on Earth.

To my mind, such highly technological scientific pursuits are vital for intellectual and national vigour; if worthwhile intellectual challenges are absent stagnation soon sets in. What greater intellectual challenge can exist than to understand the region of space in which we live and which we may eventually colonise? The analogy with Columbus is allied to this argument for if he had not sailed, progress would certainly have been delayed. There is every reason to believe that practical benefits for humankind will also come from exploring the solar system. Last but certainly not least, solar system exploration offers perhaps the best opportunity for forwarding international collaboration and detente.

During the '90s new exploratory missions are confirmed or planned to every planet in the solar system and to several asteroids and comets. This exciting programme includes fly-bys, orbiters, atmosphere probes, balloons, landers, rovers and

sample return missions. The table lists those missions already approved.

The new era of solar system exploration began last year with the successful launches of the Magellan and Galileo spacecraft (the first NASA planetary missions in over a decade). Magellan is targeted to Venus, Earth's hostile sister planet, which it will reach on August 10, 1990. It will perform detailed scanning at various wavelengths of the Venusian atmosphere and surface, looking for deep cloud patterns, lightning, volcanoes and evidence of plate tectonics. Later this month Venus will also be visited by the Galileo spacecraft, probably the most sophisticated robotic probe yet flown. This encounter will be followed by two Earth flybys to speed Galileo's passage to Jupiter which it will reach in December 1995. There it will release an atmosphere probe, undertake detailed measurements of the swirling atmosphere, giant magnetosphere (ten times the Sun's diameter) and energetic radiation belts, and perform a complex tour lasting twenty months, of the numerous moons of Jupiter. Many will recall the stunning Voyager photographs of the Jupiter system; but these could pale into insignificance when compared with the definition achievable on Galileo which will rival that of Landsat pictures of cloud cover over the Earth's surface. Without question many significant discoveries will follow. Of special interest to Imperial workers is Jupiter's volcanic moon, lo. Intense electric currents flow between lo and Jupiter's outer atmosphere which cause fluctuation in the intensity of radio waves emitted from Jupiter's vicinity. Imperial has been in the forefront for proposing models for the origin and structure of these currents and radio emissions, and Galileo will provide unique data for testing these theories when it flybys lo at about 1000 km.

In October this year the pioneering Ulysses mission will be launched (figure 1) to fly over the poles of the Sun in a unique journey lasting over four years.

Ulysses will be the first probe to explore our solar

system in the third dimension, all previous missions having been confined to the ecliptic plane. This feat is possible through the clever use of Jupiter's immense gravitational pull which will catapult Ulysses out of the ecliptic and arc it back and over the Sun. Imperial College is contributing two of the nine instruments flying on Ulysses. These instruments will provide the first ever measurements of the three dimensional structure of the solar wind, the steam of charged particles leaving the Sun, and its embedded interplanetary magnetic field. These measurements which are vital for our understanding of how the solar wind originates. They will also give rich data on the propagation and acceleration of solar energetic particles which are important for the prediction of 'space weather' at Earth.

Galileo will flyby two asteriods on its long interplanetary voyage to Jupiter. These encounters signal a growing interest in primitive bodies (comets and asteroids) during the coming decade; an interest which arises because these bodies are believed to contain pristine material from the origin of the solar system. Three missions have already been approved dedicated solely to primitive body studies: GEM, CRAF and Rosetta (see table). Imperial has experimental and theoretical expertise in this area having flown the first instrument ever to detect a comet in space (the energetic particle experiment on the International Cometary Explorer encounter with comet GiacobiniZinner in September 1985) and provided much of the subsequent theoretical development on how the solar wind interacts with comets. GEM stands for 'Giotto extended mission' and involves the reactivation of the Giotto spacecraft (which brought us such spectacular pictures of the nucleus of Halley's comet in 1986) and its targetting to comet Grigg-Skjellerup which it will reach in July 1992. NASA's comet rendezvous and asterioid flyby mission (CRAF) will send the first Mariner Mark II spacecraft to rendezvous with comet Kopff near the orbit of Jupiter and then track it at distances between 20 and 5000 km during its passage around the Sun. Imperial are contributing to the CRAF magentic field experiment; an instrument crucial for studying the comet/solar wind interaction.

While en route to comet Kopff, CRAF will also flyby asteroid 449 (Hamburga). CRAF will be followed by the ESA/NASA Rosetta mission whose purpose is to return a refrigerated comet nucleus sample to Earth.

Of all the planets, Mars must surely evoke the

Mission

Objective

Space Agency

Launch Date

Imperial Involvement

Magellan

Venus orbiter

NASA

May 1989

Galileo

Asteroid flyby, Jupiter orbiter and atmosphere probe

NASA

October

Contributing to the magnetic field investigations

Ulysses

Solar wind exploration

ESA/NASA

October 1990

Leadership of the magnetic field investigation and contributing to the energetic particles investigation

Contributing to the magnetic field and particle investigation

Mars Observer

Mars orbiter

NASA 1992

GEM

Comet flyby

ESA 1992

MARS 94

Mars orbiter and surface stations

Soviet

1994

SOHO

Sun's interior and atmosphere

ESA/NASA

1995

Cluster

4-satellite Earth magnetosphere mission

ESA/NASA

1995

Leadership of the magnetic field investigation

CRAF

Comet rendezvous and asteroid flyby

NASA

1995/96

Contributing to the magnetic field investigation

Cassini

Saturn orbiter and Titan probe

ESA/NASA

1996

Proposal submitted for leadership of the magnetic field investigation

Rosetta

Comet nucleus sample return

ESA/NASA

7

greatest sense of mystery and fascination. Excitement was high last year when the Soviet Phobos 2 spacecraft became the first probe since NASA's twin Viking landers in 1976 to reach the red planet. Despite its premature failure, Phobos did return new and important scientific data especially concerning the solar wind interaction (see Science feature by Professor Southwood in FELIX issue 855). Now several further Mars missions are under development, two of which are approved: NASA's Mars Observer and the Soviet MARS 94 missions (see table). Of these, MARS 94 is the more ambitious consisting of two spacecraft which will deploy surface stations and launch balloons, with TV cameras and surfacecontacting 'snakes' (Figure 2). The search for possible life is a primary objective and these missions, if successful, will be followed by a Rover Sample Return Mission around 2001.

The first cornerstone missions of ESA's long term space plan, the so-called 'Horizon 2000' project, are the solar terrestrial science missions SOHO and Cluster. Their objective is to attack the key outstanding problems in solar and Earth space plasma physics. SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory) will be stationed about 1.5 million kilometres sunward of the Earth and will study the Sun, both its interior and outer corona where intense heating occurs through an unknown process, to generate the solar wind. The Cluster mission, which complements SOHO, consists of four identical space probes orbiting at various separations through the magnetic field surrounding the Earth (magnetosphere). Cluster will study how the magnetospheric plasmas react to varying solar conditions and permit the first ever three dimensional point measurements of magnetised space plasmas, thereby allowing important quantities such as electric currents and the swirling of these plasmas to be measured directly for the first time. Imperial is providing leadership on the four magnetometers flying on Cluster.

The detailed exploration of Saturn and its planetsized moon Titan form a recent additional planetary objective for the '90s. This advanced joint ESA/NASA mission, called Cassini, comprises an orbiter to investigate Saturn's elaborate and interacting system of rings, icy satellites and complex magnetosphere, and an atmosphere probe which will slowly descend through Titan's organically rich atmosphere to land, possibly, in its hydrocarbon ocean. The chemistry taking place in Titan's atmosphere may resemble reactions which occurred on the primitive Earth.

Cassini's scientific return will be enhanced by flybys of Jupiter and at least one asteroid. Experimental proposals for Cassini are under review and Imperial is bidding to provide leadership on the magnetic field investigation.

In conclusion, I hope this short article has provided a flavour for the exciting future facing solar system exploration in the '90s. A fleet of sophisticated robotic probes will undertake ambitious missions to several of the planets, moons, asterioids and comets, thereby paving the way for human exploration and possible settlement early in the 21 st century. Imperial College scientists are set to play leading roles in this endeavour where small steps may well lead to giant leaps for humankind.

Dr Mark Saunders, Blackett Laboratory.

Fig. 2. Dual balloon concept for probing the Martian surface. Courtesy of Michael Carroll.

Page 9

Centrepoint sleepout If you walk past Electrical Engineering next Wednesday morning and wonder why there is a cardboard city there rather than the usual mass of bicycles here's the reason why: The problem of youth homelessness is apparent to anyone walking around central London. Many young people experience serious difficulties in finding a home of their own. These difficulties are accentuated in London where housing costs are high and where there has been a decline in availability of both public and privately owned rented property. In the capital it is estimated that there are now over 50,000 people aged 16 to 19 in temporary accommodation such as squats, hostels and bed and breakfast hotels.

The ma'Pnty of homeless young people in London have come from areas of high unemployment in search of work. Many have been compelled to leave their previous accommodation or parental home and since then have slept rough at some stage. Few are able to return to their last settled base. Young homeless people come at the bottom of allocations of housing to homeless people by local authorities.

With no address it is difficult to obtain either a job or benefit.

So what's to be done? Government action to deal with the situation has been limited. Many voluntary organisations and charities exist to try to alleviate the problems faced by homeless young people. The sleepout-that will occur in College is in aid of one such organisation-Centrepoint Soho. Centrepoint provides

Vino!

Those of you who attended Tuesday's tasting will have, like me, tasted some of their favourite Spanish wines to date during the evening.

Penny Drinkwater presented us with a personal selection of the best wines from the Spanish Wine importers: Moreno which are easy to find in local supermarkets and wine merchants. The wines were all modestly priced but the general quality was very high.

The cheapest wine on tasting was also my personal favourite: the red Vega de Torro '84 costing £ 3 . 3 5 .

The favourite wines of the evening were both red and came from Rioja: the rich claret-like Marques de Caceres '85 ( £ 4 . 3 9 ) and the more burgundy-style Fanstino V '85 ( £ 4 . 9 9 ) . We tasted an astonishing 'love it or hate it' old-style white Rioja: The Marques de Murneta '85 for £ 6 . 6 5 which reeked of oak and blackcurrent leaves and was more powerful than many reds I've tried. The tasting ended (sadly) with a fifteen year-old red Rioja: the 1975 Gran Reserva (meaning oak aged for two years followed by at least three years in the bottle before being sold) from Bodegas Berbevaua.

Throughout the tasting Penny relentlessly regaled us with interesting facts on the wines, favourite accompanying dishes and even a recipe or two!

The next tastings on the agenda is an Australian wine tasting by Orlando (a company to watch out fori), the Sherry Tasting on March 6 and the tasting given by our new Honorary President Dave Rowe, an ex-IC 'FELIX' Editor and presently editor of Decanter, on white wines from Bordeaux. Events mostly take place in the Senior Common Room (SCR) on Tuesdays at 6pm, entrance fee for members is £ 2 (£1 extra for non-members) and everyone including students, staff and guests are welcome.

Salut!

Page 10

an emergency shelter for young homeless people who have nowhere else to go. It also provides help and advice for people to re-establish themselves.

Centrepoint provides long term supportive hostels for young homeless people who need a supportive environment.

Centrepoint also manages flats and bedsits which

Wellsoc 'Then a spout of yellow flame licked up its length from the stern engine, and swift, swifter, swifter, and flaring like a rocket, it rushed down upon the solid mass of masonery which was formerly the Royal College of Science...'

HG Wells, Argonauts of the Air The student's club is crushed and turned into an inferno by the flaming parafin that explodes from the aeroplane engines. This is how HG Wells portrays the conclusion of man's first attempt at motorised flight, a disaster that destroys his old college!

How does the history of Imeprial College help us to understand the present education debate? Why did Wells feel so strongly about the Normal School of Science, as it was called when he was a student?

Our College was at the forefront of the great education debates of the past, especially during the implementation of teacher training and compulsory schooling. This history involved such great men as Professor T H Huxley, Lord Haldane, Professor Blackett and Sir Linstead.

There will be an exhibition in the Haldane Library, a book display in the bookshop, a talk, and a debate.

So keep your eyes open for the forthcoming Great Imperial Debate.

'Why did HG Wells blow-up Imperial College?' A talk

by Alumnus, Michael Newman to the HG Wells Society Monday March 5.

'This House believes that Imperial College is a threat to 'liberal education', as fought for by Prof T H Huxley, and should therefore be razed to the ground.'

Humanities and Debsoc debate on Tuesday March 20.

provide temporary accommodation in which young people can live whilst searching for a permanent home.

The sleepout will be a sponsored event which will raise money for Centrepoint. It will increase awareness in Imperial College of the problem of London's youth homelessness.

Trainspotter Last week saw the annual general meeting of the Imperial College Union Trainspotters Society. Miss Michelle Bigun was unanimously elected once more as Chairman of the society. Simon Bradshaw's post of Honorary Secretary fell to Emmanuel Saridakis, who now hopes to see a new form of regalia in the society. Anyone with designs and ideas for our anorak emblem should contact Miss Bigun on extension 3500 as soon as possible. There is a £ 3 0 prize for the winning design. Entry forms are available from Jen Hardy-Smith in the Union Office.

Shooting Following last week's horrifying result the ICR&PC team stormed to victory against both Cambridge and Leeds Universities. The match was shot at Cambridge, who again refrigerated their range, so in an attempt to stay warm we humoured them by indulging in their strange ritual of standing in a 3ft deep hole whilst shooting.

The match was won convincingly (IC 1,988, Cambridge 1,925, Leeds 1,826, all out of 2,400) despite the captain (Tony Menzies) shooting an abysmal 482/600 (our worst score, lower even than Rob who only made the team a couple of days before the match) which is odd as he can shoot 525/600 quite happily when not in competition (some people just can't take the pressure you know). When questioned about this later he was heard to exclaim 'Bollox, I think I'll take up rifle!'. (Note: this is a pretty desperate thing for a pistol shooter to say.)

P.S. for anyone who is interested there are actually women in Cambridge, though Tim seems to have a monopoly on these (as well as the top scores).

Small A d s

Athletics

International

Well, some order is beginning to emerge after the surprise hold- up in the development of the Harlington astroturf. It is clear that the astroturf should not be laid down at excessive cost, and therefore the reappraisal of the proposal because of the high tenders returned from contractors has proved to be wise.

However, we should never have reached this situation in the first place. It emerged after a meeting of the Governing Body last week that none of the relevant personnel within College administration had actually seen the tender before it was submitted to the potential contractors. The tender was drawn up by a consultant, who will no doubt expect a hefty consultancy fee, and was hopelessly over-specified.

Other companies have described this consultant's speciality as being the production of Olympic standard pitches. I hope that someone in College administration will be made accountable for such poor work, especially as students in the hockey club were able to produce cheaper quotes for astro pitches simply by ringing around contacts in companies (including companies which had tendered for the contract as specified by College). A copy of the tender has now been obtained through other sources and is being examined by Neil McCluskey and hockey club representatives. Next week, a meeting will take place of the Trustees to determine exactly how much say they will have in deciding the expenditure of monies from the Trust. It is obvious that various people within College are unhappy with the power that has been entrusted in the three Trustees, and with their decision to expend solely on capital ventures which will benefit the sporting activities of IC Union. It is in the students' interests to maintain the Trustees' present position as one is the present Union President and one an exPresident. There are plans in the pipeline for a Sports Hall (not the rather over-ambitious Sports Centre proposed a couple of years ago) on the hard tennis courts next to Linstead Hall, and a Health Suite to go into Southside Gym. It is therefore also essential that the Trust funds be set aside for use on sporting facilities only and are not diverted to other projects.

The building of a Sports Hall next to Linstead will be of advantage to many students who at present are forced to use the unsatisfactory Volleyball Court in the Chemistry building. Planning details for the astroturf must be submitted to the local council in midMarch, so I hope that all these issues will be resolved soon.

The party's over, the mess cleaned up and so now comes the time to thank all those people who participated in the International Night. (Not appearing in any particular order.)

In College...

Rob Northey, Terry Briley for security advice and checks; Jeff Reeves; the Conference Office and Careers Office for equipment; Lesley Mayers for bookings; and the College security guards for our safety.

In the Union...

Ian Richards for the microwave; Dave Peacock for the last minute contract; Gwyn, Dominic, Graham and BJ from Ents for a brilliant disco and band downstairs; Mike Smith for drinks; Mylan, Zoe, Dave, Richard and Vijay from Dramsoc for lighting, sound and everything."

OSC and all the volunteers...

Anjali Saini for the Cultural Show; Sitham Periasamy for keeping track of the wonga; Naeem Siddiqui for the food stalls and waffle on the radio; Shamil Uwais for the timetables; Rudy Ng; Han-Bing; Ming; 'Lee' T K Lee; David Ho; George Kalisperides; Adnan Butt; Rumit Shah for the publicity; Umesh Parekh; Mafaz Mohideen; 'KK'; Bruno Muratori; Roberto Silletti; Saghir Khan; Chad for getting a load of volunteers to appear; Agatha; Amin El Kholy for helping out at the last minute; and special thanks to Roberto and Saghir for helping till the real end.

Last but difinitely not least, let me thank all Overseas Students Societies members, your names I do not have a clue of, yet International Night would not have happened without you! In alphabetical order...

Afro-Caribbean-especially Karima and Bernadette (for the band)—all you guys proved your point; Chinese; CSSA; Cypriot (great dance); Friends of Palestine; Hellenic; Indian (no, sorry Heena but you can't change the timetable!); Indonesian; Italian; Japanese; Korean; Latin-American; Malaysian; Mauritian; Middle-East; Nigerian; Pakistan; Singapore; Sri-Lankan; and Turkish Society.

Thanks and apologies to all the people I have forgotten to mention. I hope everyone enjoyed themselves.

Next year again, but better!

Wouter van Hulten, Overseas Students Officer.

ADVERTISE IN THE FELIX SMALL ADS SECTION FREE IF YOU ARE A MEMBER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE UNION ANNOUNCMENTS • Postgraduate women: Lunch 12.30pm Friday 23 Feb. Club Committee Room, 3rd Floor Union Building.

• Did you miss Ben Elton last Thursday in the new series of 'The Man from Auntie'? Never fear, as you will be able to watch the show at next week's Jewish Society meeting (Tuesday 27 Feb).

It will start at 1.30pm in the UDH (1st Floor Union). Contact Andrew Preston (Maths 1) for more details.

• Munch & Merriment-the annual event for the Materials Department is on March 14 at 6.00pm in RSM G19. Tickets are £ 3 including all food and drink and entertainment, available at B522 or via pigeonholes from Janet Lung (Materials 2).

• Some C&G Dinner & Dance photos are displayed in the Guilds Office. If anyone would like copies made please sign your name on the list under them.

FOR SALE & WANTED • Wanted: English to Russian translator. Please contact M Juned, Physics.

• Wanted: Teams of chronically depressed students to hurl themselves off Queen's Tower, traverse the Cloud of Despair and be trampled underfoot below. Prize for the person most determined not to enjoy himself. Applications to reach Elec Eng before Armageddon.

• For sale: Audi 80 GLS. Good condition, new gear box, MOT until Sept 1990, urgent sale. Price £ 7 5 0 ono. Contact Yazi on ext 5224.

ACCOMMODATION • Large room in shared flat off High Street Ken, 10 min cycle, 9/10/33/49 buses (walkable). For one or two people. £ 6 0 pw excl. Contact Rob Field, ext 4856 (Civ Eng).

PERSONAL • Calling all 'talented materialists'! If you can produce an act on 14.3.90 after 6.00pm, a free bottle of champagne could be yours. Contact Janet Bond or Emma Claxton (Mat 2) via piegonholes a.s.a.p.

• Lost-One left eyebrow. If found please return to B pigeonhole in Elec Eng.

Ben Turner, ACC Chairman.

Vijay Thakur, SCAB Treasurer, is also standing for the sabbatical post of IC Union Deputy President.

Ha^ Ha^ Ha®«#

ALL Sabbatical Candidates YOU MUST PAY FOR YOUR PUBLICITY BY 5.00pm TODAY OR YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE IT AT 5.30pm

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, it's a larff, ho ho ho ho.

It's comedy night tonight, your ribs will be tickled and your sides will be split. We have four 'alternative' comedy acts, with a fine compere. Punt and Dennis are top of the bill, the stars of Radio One's comedy show, The Mary Whitehouse Experience. If you've ever seen and enjoyed the obnoxious Jerry Sadowitz, you'll enjoy Jenny Bowen. Before her we have the impressionist Alistar McGowan, and street-wise comedian Geoff Green.

Entry to the comedy night gives you free entry to the disco which runs until 2am, and the bar is open until 1. Tickets are £ 2 . 5 0 in advance, £ 2 for ents cardholders, available from the Union Office NOW! Rufus Isaacs, Ents Publicity.

MANIFESTOS Candidates must hand in their manifestos by 9.30am Monday 26th Feb. There is a maximum of 300 words. Any manifesto longer than this will be cut at the 300th word.

Candidates should also submit a photograph of themself (any size).

Manifestos will be printed as submitted including any spelling mistakes etc.

Any material submitted after this deadline will be burnt in front of the candidate in question.

a large part of the blame will rest upon the Union's head for not warning them.

FeliX The Ambulance Posters I don't care what political views the Conservative Society hold, they were wrong to put up posters with the slogan 'Support the ambulance men let the patients die.' People have died during the ambulance dispute; to attempt to make political gain from their deaths is not only sick it is immoral. Fiona Nicholas was right to ban the posters and remove them.

Freedom of speech is one thing, sick-headed drivel like this is another.

Elections Those irritating sabbatical candidates will be pestering you for your vote from 5.30pm today. Many of them will present you with schemes for the Union, few of which will be feasible. The best advice I can give is to vote on the basis of who you feel you can trust to stick with the job and do their best at it. Make sure the candidate at least knows what they are taking on.

All four posts demand a great deal of their occupant; few people realise just how much work is done by the sabbaticals. I feel a number of this year's candidates are likely to just collapse under the pressure of a commitment whose extent they did not realise.

Awards I am afraid I have to apologise to Sir Eric. I have not had time to purchase the conniving git award this week, it will be arriving soon. Meanwhile, a book for Managing Surveyor of Residences, Peter Hallworth.

I have thought a great deal about this week's title.

Suggestions have ranged from Bleak House to Withering heights. I have finally decided upon Great Expectations. The theme and era of the titles goes well with the College's housing, I feel.

Next Issue Litho permitting, next week's issue will be a travel special. Could anyone who has promised an article please hand it in on Monday please. There will be a staff meeting at 12.45pm on Tuesday lunchtime to discuss the issue.

Credits Many thanks to last week's collators Ian Hodge, Adrian Butt, Wouter Van Hulten, Sitham Periasamy, Sunny Ghaie, Richard Eyers, Ben Turner (Vijay Thakur is also running for the post of ICU Deputy President, and did not help collate), Anjali Saini, Chris Stapleton (Thomas Wyatt is also standing for the post of FELIX Editor and did not help collate), Sydney Harbour-

M A K E

FELIX is published by the editor for and on behalf of Imperial College Union Publications Board and is printed by the Imperial College Union Print Unit, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2BB (Tel. 01-589 5111 ext 3515).

Editor: Dave Smedley. Business Manager: Jeremy Burnell. Advertising Manager: Ramin Nakisa. Copyright FELIX 1990. ISSN 1040-0711

A

Flying

START T O T H E NINETIES

On another note, I have heard a great deal about dirty dealings concerning the elections. I fully intend to reveal all the filth which has surrounded the elections after the results are announced. Much of it makes pretty grim reading for certain individuals.

Those candidates who pay for their posters and handouts by 5.00pm today will be able to collect them from the FELIX Office at 5.30pm today. Manifestos must reach the FELIX Office by 9.30am Monday 26th February. They should be no more than 300 words long and will be cut at the 300th word if necessary.

Spelling mistakes etc. will be reproduced exactly from the candidate's manifesto. Candidates should also submit a photograph of themself. I am looking forward to a small bonfire at 9.35am if necessary. Manifestos may be slipped under the FELIX Office door over the weekend, although FELIX accepts no liability for their safety on this basis.

Bridge and Jackie Scott (Doug King, Mark OrrowWhiting, Athos Ritsperis and Paul Shanley are also standing for the post president and did not help collate.). (This is bloody stupid isn't it, but that's election rules for you). Lots and lots of thanks to PIPPA SALMON who I have missed out of the credits on far too many occasions. Thanks for pics to Chris Stapleton (Thomas Wyatt is also standing for the post of FELIX editor etc.), Richard Eyers, Roland Flowerdew, Jeremy Burnell and Doug King (Mark Orrow-Whiting, Athos Ritsperis, Jackie Scott and Paul Shanley are also standing for the post of ICU President etc). Thanks to Adam Harrington and Liz Warren for news; Sydney Harbour-Bridge for the Harlington feature; Adam Tinworth, Ian Hodge, Toby Jones, Adam Harrington, JLW, Liz Rickwood, MA C , and Adrian Pagan for reviews; Del, Sarah and Stone for Music; Dr Mark Saunders and Science editor Simon Haslam for science and Rose Atkins for Typesetting.

Finally, a massive thanks to Andy Thompson who stayed up all night on Wednesday night to print the sabbatical publicity.I am forever grateful for his patience and commitment to his job. Thanks again Andy. All the candidates owe you a lot of drinks.

from PARIS BERLIN MADRID NEW YORK LOS A N G E L E S T E L AVIV HONG KONG SINGAPORE

o/w £40 £60 £65 £106 £150 £89 £264 £240

rtn £65 £89 £108 £198 £300 £149 £528 £480

Accommodation The proposed 16% rent increases for Hamlet Gardens are frightening. With a possible 7% increase in the student grant for next year, this surely spells the doom of Imperial College. Students will not be able to afford to live in IC accommodation or any of the private sector housing without housing benefit next year. The last meeting of Imperial College Union's Council decided to take action over rent increases and inform future students of the costs they will have to face.

The final decision was, however, very woolly. Council left it up to Neil McCluskey to decide on a course of action.

After these rent increases I feel the Union is obliged as a potential welfare sevice to inform future students of housing costs. Information should be posted to schools and sixth form colleges. Students have to be told NOW, while they still have a chance to delete Imperial from their UCCA choices. Imperial College Union would be weakened by a reduction in the College's undergraduate intake, but it should seriously consider its moral obligation to potential students. If future students at IC are forced to live a life of poverty, Page 12

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Blatant Dear Dave, I was distressed to read in last week's FELIX that the Union's Postgraduate Affairs Officer (PGAO) Martin Gans has resigned. I am sure Martin cannot be blamed for the lack of interest in the Union by postgraduates, but I do not think the Academic interests of 40% of the College should be left unrepresented. Until a new PGAO is elected I am willing to make myself available to any postgraduate wishing to see me on academic matters. Admittedly the problems faced by postgraduates are different to the mainly undergraduate issues dealt with at Academic Affairs Committee (AAC), but nevertheless there is some overlap (and indeed the PGAO sits on the AAC). I can be contacted through the pigeonholes in the Union Office or, from March 5th, in my office (Huxley room 654, ext 5780).

Athos Ritsperis, Academic Affairs Officer.

P.S. On the subject of the 'forged' Rachel Stone letter mentioned in last week's editorial —I'm afraid it's happened again. With reference to the letter entitled 'Mr Zeebub replies' in last week's letters section, if you check in Physics 1 you will find no listing of a B L Zeebub.

Other candidates standing for the sabbatical post of ICU President at the time of going to press are: Mr Doug King, Publications Board Chairman Mark Orrow-Whiting, Physics 2.

Ms Jackie Scott, Welfare Officer Mr Paul Shanley, UGM Chairman

Not fair!

Dear Dave, It is a sad fact that free speech is most definitely NOT alive and well at Imperial College.

At Monday lunchtimes, I put up several Conservative Society posters along the walkway. The posters expressed an opinion on the ambulance dispute and advertised a forthcoming ConSoc meeting at which the topic is due to be discussed.

Within an hour, all but one of the posters had either been removed or had been ripped in two so that the complete message could not be read. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that one of the posters had found its way to Fiona Nicholas's desk in the Union Office.

Whilst the ConSoc posters were removed with remarkable speed, there have recently been many posters around College supporting the ambulance workers which have not been taken down, although they openly break ICU publicity rules because they are produced externally and do not feature the name of an ICU society. Perhaps someone realised that the ConSoc posters displayed a message which was too close to the truth for comfort, so they were taken down to prevent other people reading them.

Obscure Dear Dave, With election time now upon us, and promises of world-shattering changes to come, how does one find the truth amongst the vain statements? It's a shame that some people don't seem to remember what they say in 'the heat of the moment', or even in the reasoned 'light of day'.

Early last term, a current ICU sabbatical made certain statements about a person's behaviour at a CCU event. This comment was made, not in the heat of the moment, but approximately one week later, and surely after reasoned thought. It would now seem that this sabbatical would rather not be associated with this statement, but would prefer to see it forgotten about.

No one really expects candidates to keep all their campaign promises, but a total change of heart does seem a little strange, especially as the comment was not a rash one, at the time.

Let's hope that this year's candidates and winners don't suffer such turn arounds, or perhaps give more thought to statements they make.

Name withheld on request

Saving I Dear Dave, First may I congratulate you on printing Yve Posner's article last week on the Community Charge.

I hope all this publicity and information will encourage students to register.

It is interesting to note that as the facts come out our opponents' accusations are proved false. Students will actually gain from the Poll Tax. The Welfare Office tells us that a typical student pays £5.25 in rates on £50 rent per week, for a 38 week yearly bill of £199.50. But under the Poll Tax, students in London will only pay about £ 1 0 0 (or £39 as the recently released figure for Westminster). How can anyone complain that students are losing out?

Instead of wasting time fighting the Poll Tax, ICU should be informing students of how the laws enable them to deduct the amount they pay in rates from their rent to their landlords. It's a disgrace that instead ICU is telling students how to break the law and not pay.

Let's all thank Mrs T for saving us money!

Yours sincerely, Dylan James, Maths 2.

Dylan James is proposing Thomas Wyatt for the sabbatical post of FELIX Editor.

Jackie Scott is proposing Chris Stapleton for the sabbatical post of FELIX Editor.

More Ash

Now I don't object to other students producing legitimate posters opposing Government policy— indeed, I welcome the expression of an alternative point of view. But I am against the blatant disobeying of Union rules-after all, what is the point of having rules if they are not enforced equitably?

Dear Dave, A brand new topic for discussion in your paper can now be opened: smoking. I would just like to ask why there are no 'No smoking' signs in the refreshment areas of College—especially the JCR and Main Dining Hall. I know there are many smokers in the above places since I, like many others, prefer not to eat my meals in a cloud of smoke.

Yours, M J Hoskin, ICU Conservative Society Publicity Officer.

Yours, Simon Reid, Mat Sci 1 (on behalf of the silent majority).

Saving II Dear Dave, I am writing in response to Ian McGovern's letter which appeared in last week's FELIX on the subject of students' fees.

The letter raises two very important issues: 1. On what basis does the Imperial College Registry decide the rate of fees payable by each student?

2. Is Imperial College giving its students value for money?

I was particularly concerend about lan's experience in relation to the first question as it seems very possible that the College has made a mistake regarding the amount of fees he has been charged.

I therefore feel that it is important to point out how the decisions regarding fees are made and how they can be challenged.

In deciding whether to charge a student the 'home' or 'overseas' rate of fees the College has to follow the provisions of the Education (Fees and Awards) Regulations 1983. These provide that an educational institution must look at what a student has been doing during the three years prior to the start of their course and decide whether they have a 'relevant connection' with Britain. In order to have a 'relevant connection' a person must have been 'ordinarily resident' in the UK for a full three years prior to the start of their course and secondly must show that at no time during the three years they were here wholly or mainly for the purpose of full-time education. It therefore follows for example that if a student came to the UK primarily to study for ' A ' Levels they would have to pay the overseas rate of fees.

These conditions seem very rigid but the Regulations do provide some important exceptions to the three year rule and therefore it is well worth checking out whether there is one that applies to you.

If so you would be in the position to request Registry to review the decision regarding the amount of fees you have to pay.

In many cases Registry is not aware of the true facts regarding a particular student and consequently charge them incorrectly. I have advised several students on the question of fees and as a result they were able to request a review of the amont of fees charged. So if you think you have been charged the higher rate of fees in error then please come and see me. The Welfare Office is open Monday-Thursday 12.30pm-5.30pm.

The second issue is far less easily dealt with as it involves a very large number of complex factors upon which I do not feel it is appropriate for me to comment. I do however hope that this will be the subject of a future FELIX feature article.

Yve Posner, Welfare Adviser.

P o s e u r The Editor, Contrary to your article 16.2.90, last page, Vote Vote Vote, the only candidate for the RCSU Academic Affairs Officer has the name Kevin Tilbrook, LSD 1, otherwise known as 'Shades'.

I am the candidate in question and was ratified for the post at the hustings on Thursday 18 Feb. I would appreciate some rectification of this mistake, as this may lead to the misdirection of internal mail.

Thanking you in anticipation, Shades.

Page 13

Out of context Dear Dave, I am a great believer in freedom of choice, and so I feel compelled to comment on the article 'The RSMU are the Pits' and its accompanying letter 'Miners are Chauvinists' in last week's FELIX. Both features centred around criticism of the last issue of the RSMU newsletter. Both authors principally complained about the photo of the woman on page 3. Although only one was correct in stating that she was topless rather than fully naked, both took the caption 'She's waiting for it' out of context. This was not an isolated picture but was an integral part of an article, a feature previewing the Bottle Match at Camborne. As such the caption was a mere pun, admittedly of a sexual nature, but most readers (men and women) treated it as it was m e a n t - a bit of harmless fun. If this makes Peter want to 'head off to Brighton right now and rape a few women' then he's got a problem.

The level of so called pornography in the Pit is no worse than that found in the Sun br Sunday S p o r t hugely popular publications freely available outside 'the male chauvinist atmosphere within the RSM'. The

Pit is a newsletter read only by adults who want to read it. Neither Anna nor Peter have to pick it up next time, no more than they are forced to buy those newspapers.

In his letter Peter has the audacity to accuse most of the women in the RSM of being ignorant. He even admits that the vast majority of them are not bothered by what he finds offensive. Who is he to tell them what they should think.

This issue is wider than the Pit, wider than RSM or even the College. It's about a tiny bunch of puritans telling the rest of us what's good for us. Small minded Mary Whitehouse types like these two should stop trying to force their prudish values on other people.

I suspect that they just feel too inhibited to have fun themselves and therefore don't see why anyone else should have any.

If the Pit makes you feel sick then don't read i t but while you're about it let the rest of us decide for ourselves, instead of telling us what we should or shouldn't want.

Steffan Fay, Geology 3.

Sick, perverted Dear Dave, My God! I'm sorry! It appears that I have offended two very 'sensitive members' of the RSM (re 'RSMU are the Pits' by A Teeman and 'Miners are Chauvinists' by P Sharp).

I'm afraid that I am responsible for the pornographic DLB posters displayed in the RSM. Since reading the letters I have had many sleepless nights worrying about the insensitive way I have portrayed the femate form (amongst other things!).

I must be a sick, perverted, potential rapist (or at least guilty of driving others into frenzied attacks because, let's face it, we're all rapists at the RSM!).

I am disgusted with myself and have already

consulted a specialist about having a frontal lobotomy, in order to curb my rampant libido.

The only thing I have in my defence is that I'm a publicity officer and I seem to have accomplished my task. I just hope the two saintly forms, who were obviously given my share of morals, will be able to stand living the rest of their days at RSM with the rest of us and accept my most sincere apologies.

Yours, Ms Matthew Jupe (Feminist).

P.S. I resign.

P.P.S. I hope one of you will take up my 'post'. It's 'hard' but 'full-filling'.

Common as muck Dear Felix Editor, As a reader of your magazine for many years I wish to complain about the Calumny Column and its abrasive comments. I believe that magazines are written for all people to read, not just a selected few.

Why has Ms Toynbee felt the need to use slang words referring to genitalia and anus when she is talking about people?

Why do you use a word associated with bowel motions when you are writing to the general population of the College?

Normal conversation is not punctuated with such words and if your aspirations are to move into middleclass society then you will have to stop using them.

Why not start practising in this paper you edit and give an example to others.

Yours sincerely, May Symers.

More blatant Dear Dave, I have noticed that over the past few weeks a certain Presidential candidate has managed to get his name in FELIX every week by dint of writing lots of letters. I thought that it was about time I got myself some of this free publicity.

Yours sincerely, Name withheld due to election publicity rules.

The ugly side of London Dear Sir, As an American College student studying in London for five months, I have been trying to adapt and fit into this culture. At the same time i have been making every attempt to visit all the sights. Unfortunately, I have recently encountered something that I will never be able to adjust to or accept: anti-semitism.

I was browsing through Portobello Market a few days ago when suddenly, without warning, I was dealt a severe blow to the head and an overwhelming punch to the stomach. My initial reaction was one of shock and horror; however, as tears glazed over my eyes, those feelings quickly dissipated and I was left standing on the street corner in sheer pain. Perhaps my agony could have been appeased had witnesses to this terrible act helped capture the perpetrator of the crime. Unfortunately, this case did not allow for such a perfect ending.

The crime to which I am making reference was not one of physical battery; it was far more hurtful than that. The cause of my pain came directly from the proud display of swastika arm bands hanging in the fourth stall from the corner of Portobello Road and Longlands Court (next to the Earl of Lonsdale pub).

It would seem that this insensitive act could only be caused by ignorance, since I simply do not understand Page 14

how anyone in good consciousness would be able to sell, or buy for that matter, the infamous symbol of Nazi Germany. The swastika was a symbol associated with the barbaric slaughter of over six million Jewish, as well as non-Jewish, men, women and children during World War Two. The holocaust must never be forgotten or allowed to recur; therefore, it is imperative to understand the' history and madness that led up to it. When Adolf Hitler made himself dictator of Germany in March 1933, his narrowly nationalistic slogans, such as the injustices of the Versailles Treaty of World War One, the need for strong leadership, the ineffectiveness of democracy, and most of all the 'inequity' of the Jews, appealed to the vast majorty of the population living in the midst of widespread economic discontent.

Hitler's notion of a superior race, a perfect, highly intellectual, blond haired, blued eyed, Aryan race, was quickly absorbed and accepted without much debate.

Hitler rebuilt pride and nationalism throughout the country, and mended the egos of his German comrads. Next he went to work on national reunification as well as the destruction of the scapegoats that he had effectively developed-the Jewish race. As German troops marched through Europe, Jews were rounded up and transported to

ghettos and concentration camps by the Nazis.

It was in these camps, of which adjectives to describe the horrors encountered do not exist, that Jews were tortured and eventually killed. People were dissected while still alive. Lives were sacrificed during 'scientific' experiments. Human skin was peeled off and manufactured into lampshades. Human beings were forced to dig their own graves. Some were buried alive. Lucky ones simply died of hunger, overwork or overexposure. Families were separated, most were destroyed. Those that miraculously survived suffer from their memories of the past to this day.

Can it be possible that such unjustified hatred is still being perpetuated? The very notion that there is a market for swastikas is a painfully sharp indication that prejudices are somehow being kept alive. The children of the world must not be exposed to this criminal disregard for humanity. This era of change has brought about a deep rooted desire for democracy. The campaign for freedom has become a world wide effort. It is in this spirit that we must unite and put an end to prejudices once and for all.

Yours, Aharyn M Ftootenberg.

What's O n

THURSDAY

AN UP-TO-THE-MINUTE GUIDE TO EVENTS IN AND AROUND IMPERIAL COLLEGE

FRIDAY

TUESDAY

Hang Gliding 12.30pm Southside Upper Lounge. Come and get high.

Rag Meeting 12.35pm Union Lounge.

Friday Prayers 1.00pm Southside Gym. Organised by IC Islamic Society.

Wing Chun Kung Fu 4.30pm Union Gym. Beginners lessons.

Christian Union Meeting 6.00pm Room 308 Computing.

Swimming Training 6.30pm Prince's Gardens Sports Centre. New members welcome-all levels of ability.

Fencing Club Meeting 6.40pm Union Gym. Every week.

Water Polo Session 7.30pm Prince's Gardens Sports Centre. New members welcome-all levels of ability.

Cricket Indoor Nets 7.45pm Met in Mech Eng Foyer. Bring your whites, we have three nets this term.

IC Radio Disco 8.30pm Southside.

Audio Society Meeting 12.30pm Union Senior Common Room. Cheap records, tapes and videos. Order on Tuesday and collect on Thursday.

CathSoc Mass 12.30pm Mech Eng 702. Followed by lunch.

Sailing Club Meeting 12.30pm Southside Lounge for 'Guinness and Gossip'.

Ski Club Meeting 12.30pm Southside Lounge. Sign up for racing, dry slope skiing and trip to France ICU Radio Modellers 12.30pm Southside Lounge.

Riding Club Meeting 12.30pm Southside Lounge.

Boardsailing Club Meeting 12.30pm Southside Lounge to sign up for Wednesday and weekend trips.

Ents Meeting 1.00pm Union Lounge.

Student Christian Movement 5.30pm Chaplains Office, Basement Flat, 10 Prince's Gardens.

Keep Fit 5.30pm Southside Gym with Alice.

Amnesty Group Meeting 5.30pm Brown Committee Room.

5.30pm ICU Radio Modellers Mech Eng. Student training workshop.

Christian Union Prayer Meeting 5.40pm Huxley 411.

Wine Tasting 6.00pm Senior Common Room. Everyone welcome.

Canoe Club 6.00pm Meet in Beit Quad or we can be found in Southside Upper Lounge from 8.30-ish. Beginners welcome.

New Beginners Ballroom 6.00pm JCR. Judo 6.30pm Union Gym. Intermediate Ballroom 7.00pm JCR. Dance Club Improver's Ballroom 8.00pm JCR.

SATURDAY Karate Practice Southside Gym. Wu Shu Kwan Southside Gym. Beginners Class.

10.00am 4.30pm

SUNDAY Chaplaincy Sunday Service Sherfield Building Anteroom.

Wargames Senior Common Room, Union Building.

Wu Shu Kwan Union Gym. Beginners Class.

RCSU Night in the Bar Meet in the Bar. Every week.

10.00am I.OOpm 4.30pm 7.00pm

MONDAY RockSoc Meeting 12.30pm Southside Upper Lounge. Interested in any form of Rock Music? Come along and have a beer.

Cross Country & Atheletics 5.30pm Union Gym. Jogging in Hyde Park and socialising later in Southside.

Keep Fit 5.30pm Southside Gym with Vicky.

Improver's Ballroom 6.00pm JCR. Dance Club.

Beginners Rock V Roll 6.45pm SCR. Swimming Training 6.30pm Prince's Gardens Sports Centre. New members welcome-all levels of ability.

Advanced Ballroom 7.00pm JCR. Karate Practice 7.30pm Southside Gym. Water Polo Session 7.30pm Prince's Gardens Sports Centre. New members welcome-all levels of ability.

Latin American Dance 7.45pm SCR. Beginners.

Latin American Advanced 8.15pm SCR. Medals in Ballroom 8.00pm JCR.

Christian Union Prayer Meeting 8.15am Chaplaincy.

Audio Society Meeting 12.30pm See Tuesday's entry.

IC Fencing Club 12.30pm Union Gym. Every week.

Ski Club Meeting 12.30pm See Tuesday's entry.

Methodist Society Speaker Meeting... 12.30pm Chemistry 231. Everyone welcome.

Gliding Club Meeting 1.00pm Aero 254. Come along to arrange your first flight.

ICSF Library Meeting 1.00pm ICSF Library (below Beit). Members can borrow from 1,700 books.

YHA 72.30 Southside Upper Lounge. Sign up for weekend break.

Everyone welcome.

Balloon Club Meeting 1.00pm Southside Upper Lounge. All newcomers and hardened balloonies welcome. Sign up for weekends in the clouds.

Keep Fit 5.30pm Southside Gym with Alice.

6.30pm Judo Union Gym. Karate Practice 7.30pm Southside Gym. FilmSoc 'Mississippi Burning' 7.30pm Mech Eng 220. 50p members, ÂŁ 1 . 5 0 others.

IC Radio Disco 8.30pm Next to Southside Bar. ICCAG Soup Run 9.00pm Meet Week's Hall Basement Kitchen. Deliver food to London's down and outs.

NEXT FRIDAY Rag Meeting 12.35pm Union Lounge.

Friday Prayers 1.00pm Southside Gym. Organised by IC Islamic Society.

Swimming Practice 6.30pm See Monday's entry.

Water Polo Session 7.30pm See Monday's entry.

IC Radio Disco 8.30pm Southside.

WEDNESDAY Sailing Club Meeting 12.30pm Outside Southside for sailing.

Keep Fit 12.30pm Southside Gym with Vicky.

Wargames 1.00pm Senior Common Room, Union Building.

Midweek Service 1.00pm Holy Trinity Church, Prince Consort Road.

WellSoc 'The Prisoner' 1.00pm Union SCR. Wing Chun Kung Fu 1.00pm Union Gym. Beginners lessons.

ICU-SEDS Meeting 2.00pm LT144 Maths (Huxley). Would you fly the 'Vomit Comet'? Dr Paddy to talk about Zero-G. Ten Pin Bowling 2.00pm Meet at Gloucester Road tube.

Wutan Tai Chi Chuan 3.00pm Union Lounge. Instructor Hong Chun Lai. Martial art for all ages and sexes.

Ladies Only Water Polo 6.30pm IC Sports Centre. Enthusiastic new members welcome-any ability.

Wu Shu Kwan 7.30pm Union Gym. Experts class.

FREE DISCO 9.00pm In the Union Lounge Nightclub until 1am.

SELF-DEFENCE FOR WOMEN There is a self-defence evening on February 28th in the Union Senior Common Room at 6.30pm. This is an introduction to a course that will be run next term over 5 weeks, teaching selfdefence skills ALL WOMEN WELCOME! Page 15

Sports win

Callous stunt Excruciating

Students who incur travelling costs whilst representing Imperial College Union are likely to receive larger refunds following a motion passed at the Extraordinary General Meeting ( E G M ) held on Thursday 22nd at lunchtime in the J C R .

Imperial College Conservative society have complained to IC Union concerning the removal of their posters from around the college.

The A 3 size posters sported the maxim 'Support the ambulance workers let the patients die'. Four separate groups of people registered their offence at the posters to Ms Fiona Nicholas of I C U , who then allowed the posters to be removed. She said that the society should have checked with her beforehand, as she would have expected that they would cause offence. 'If I had checked them, they wouldn't have gone up,' she said.

The refunds will only be made if the extra expense can be met by an increase in the funding the Union receives from College. The increase has not been confirmed but is believed to be likely, following discussions between the Union and M r Peter Mee, the College Registrar, Students will receive 100% refunds for travel within the London area and 60% refunds for U K travel outside London.

The motion was passed without opposition after it was amended to confirm that the refunds would not be available if the Union's funding was not increased.

Elections were held for several posts. Ian Hodge defeated Dave Bevan for the post of I C U Handbook Editor. The following were all elected unopposed: Chris Tamdjidi as Phoenix Editor, Cathy Squires as I C U Women's Officer, Jeremy Burnell as F E L I X Business Manager and Suzanne Ahmet as I C U External Affairs Officer.

The next Union General Meeting will be the Sabbatical Election Hustings on March 1st in the JCR at IC.

Pea-brained A n article in the Times Higher Education Supplement (THES) has highlighted Britain's braindrain by citing the case of Professor Peter Bradshaw who left Imperial College claiming that his department, Aeronautics, was being run entirely for the benefit of other countries.

Professor Bradshaw is now working at Stanford, University of California. He said that apart from the increase in salary, his reasons for leaving the country were the falling standards of PhD students and that the government was gaining no economic benefit from the department at all.

Professor Bradshaw is one of the 1600 signatories of a petition to the British Government from British scientists living abroad complaining of the government's dismissal of the problem.

The Rector, Sir Eric Ash, said that in his view the article was as critical of the college as of the government. He said, in response to the article's claim that the department was entirely made up of overseas students, that 'no Britons—absolute nonsense'. He said that the tripling in salary that co-incides with working in the United States probably played a part in academics' decisions.

On the subject of falling PhD standards Sir Eric said 'rubbish in my view....my PhD students were every bit as good at the end of my time as the beginning. Academics get the PhD students they deserve.'

Professor P. Bearman, the present head of the Aeronautics department, said that he considered the article contained 'the personal views of Professor Bradshaw ... I agree with the Rector—if you don't get interesting topics or rush ahead in your field you won't get interested students'.

In a letter to the T H E S , Professor Bearman expressed surprise at Professor Bradshaw's belief that virtually all PhD students were foreigners. He added that the general tone of xenophobia in the article was unhelpful.

ConSoc have written a letter to Felix this week explaining their position.

Union picket The Imperial College Manufacturing, Science and Finance (MSF) Trade Union are to step up action in their protest over the potential redundancies of seven College staff.

Next Thursday, they will be picketing outside a meeting of the College Management and Planning Group, the highest policy making body in the college administration which is chaired by the Rector, Sir Eric Ash. The IC M S F are calling on support from other London branches of the M S F for the picket and may also be picketing outside the Sherfield building.

M r Chris Stringer, chairman of IC M S F , said that the decisions taken by emergency meetings of the M S F had been unanimously endorsed by an ordinary branch meeting of the union on Wednesday. He added that job offers had been made to some of the staff, but that none of them had yet been accepted. He said that the M S F 'cannot accept that any member should be pressurised into an unsuitable job or into taking early retirement on unacceptable terms.'

Broken trust?

The position of the Harlington Gravel Fund trustees is in doubt, following last Friday's meeting of the Finance and Executive Committee (F&E), College's highest financial decision making body.

The trustees, who are responsible for administering the fund, were appointed prior to the terms of the trust being finalised and it is now unclear whether the brief for the trust's expenditure is to be decided by the trustees or by F & E .

The difficulties in the trustees' position were highlighted when the Rector, Sir Eric Ash, suggested that the trust should contribute £% million to a residences appeal. This contradicts the terms of the trust agreed by the trustees in December which have not yet been approved by F & E .

The trust is also in difficulties over the money to be spent on an Astroturf pitch at Harlington, The scheme is being delayed because senior College officials and the trustees feel that the quotes for the pitch are unacceptable. M r Neil McCluskey, IC Union President, is trying to obtain a specification for the pitch so that new quotes can be sought.

M r McCluskey said that he was 'committed to trying to get it (the pitch) through this year' and that he wanted to have it 'guaranteed that the pitch would be ready by next October'. If the pitch is not available next season, the ICU Hockey Club will be left without a home ground. They are already unable to obtain external pitches for next season.

The papers for the sabbatical elections were stolen from the noticeboard on the staircase to the Union Office last weekend. It is believed they were removed by students taking part in either the Hyde Park Relay or the Rag Monopoly event. The candidates who were standing at the time have agreed that the theft does not invalidate the elections.

A l l the sabbatical elections are now contested. At 5.30pm yesterday, there were five candidates for the post of Union President: Doug King, proposed by Hal Calamvokis; Mark Orrow- Whiting, proposed by Edgar Denny; Athos Ritsperis, proposed by Alistair Goodall; Jackie Scott, proposed by Wendy Kite; and Paul Shanley, proposed by Andy Bannister.

There are two candidates for each of the other three posts. The candidates for Deputy President are Vijay Thakur, proposed by Doug King, and Ben Turner, proposed by Dave Osborne. Ian Thomas, proposed

by Paul McNaught, and Murray Williamson, proposed by Ralph Greenwell are standing for Honorary Secretary. The candidates for F E L I X Editor are Chris Stapleton, proposed by Jackie Scott and Thomas Wyatt, proposed by Dylan James.

Papers will remain up until 5.30pm today. The IC Hustings U G M will be held on Thursday 1st March at 6pm in the J C R ; the St Mary's Hustings will be on Monday 26th February at 6.30pm in the St Mary's Union Bar. Voting will be on Monday 5th and Tuesday 6th March between 10am and 5pm in all departments. Students wishing to vote must produce their union card at the ballot box.

Crackers!

Over the weekend two students broke into the Union building. Though no damage was done and nothing was stolen, the burglers left a message stating that 'You have been visited by the 'Pink Panther Soc' and highlighting the lack of security in areas of supposedly high security.

M r Terry Briley, security officer at I . C . , said that he considered the intentions of the two students involved, who are known and have been reprimanded, were good but added that their actions were 'thoughtless and irresponsible' considering the recent break-ins at the Union office. He said that their behaviour had highlighted security faults and had frightened Union staff.

M r Briley said that steps will be taken to improve security in the Union office but he was unable to disclose details for security reasons.

Green party M r Neil McCluskey, IC Union President, was kidnapped by the Corleone faction of the Mafia last Friday. They cruelly tortured M r McCluskey mistaking him for Alfonso Ambrosio, Brother-in-law of the last Pope, John Paul I. M r McCluskey pleaded that he was not Italian, and hadn't even read 'The Godfather'. The sadists contented themselves by covering M r McCluskey in medieval creme-de-menthe after stealing his clothes.

They were stopped from stringing up M r McCluskey from the Queen's Tower by the selfless action of the Union Office staff who gave all their life savings to the balaclavered bandits.

The Metropolitan police dismissed the episode as 'utter stupidity'.